House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos has announced his decision to inhibit himself from all discussions related to impeachment complaints filed against his father, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“In view of the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who is my father, I have decided to formally recuse myself from all discussions, deliberations, and proceedings of the House Committee on Rules insofar as these complaints are concerned,” Rep. Marcos said in a statement on Monday morning, January 26.
He emphasized that his decision was not compelled by law but by a “higher obligation—to preserve the integrity of the House of Representatives, to protect the credibility of its processes, and to uphold the public’s trust in our constitutional system.”
Rep. Marcos currently chairs the powerful House Committee on Rules, which is responsible for referring impeachment complaints from the plenary to the Committee on Justice.
Such referral marks the formal initiation of an impeachment complaint.
“While I am fully aware that the rules of the House do not require my inhibition, and while I remain confident in the independence and professionalism of my colleagues, I recognize that leadership sometimes calls for restraint rather than participation. In moments that test institutions, perception matters as much as procedure,” said the younger Marcos.
He said the House must be allowed to discharge its constitutional duties “without any shadow of personal interest, real or imagined”.
“My recusal ensures that no question may be raised about the fairness, objectivity, or legitimacy of the process, and that the focus remains where it properly belongs—on the Constitution, the facts, and the rule of law,” the presidential son stressed.
“I take this step not as a retreat from responsibility, but as an affirmation of it. Public office is a trust, and that trust is strengthened when those who hold power are willing to step aside to protect the institution they serve,” Rep. Marcos said.
He stressed that he “remain[s] committed to my duties as House Majority Leader in all other matters, and I express full confidence that the House will act with independence, sobriety, and fidelity to the Constitution in addressing this issue”.
“Our democracy is strongest when institutions are bigger than personalities, and when public servants choose principle over proximity,” Rep. Marcos noted.
As of this posting, two impeachment complaints agaisnt President Marcos have been officially received by House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil–the complaint filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus last Jan. 19, and the complaint filed by militant groups on Monday morning, Jan. 26. (Ellson Quismorio)
